FOOTBALL – AL Khaldiya extended their lead atop the table of the 2025-26 Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League last night with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Budaiya at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
DR Congo professional Joel Beya Tumuteka headed in the winner after only three minutes and it was enough to separate the two sides in the tightly contested encounter, which kicked off matchweek 20 this season.
The result opened up a five-point gap for Khaldiya ahead of defending champions Muharraq, who have a game in hand and remained their closest title challengers.
Khaldiya are scheduled to lock horns with Muharraq in their next fixture, scheduled to be played on Monday next week as part of the 21st and penultimate round of action.
In yesterday’s other contest played at the National Stadium in Riffa, Malkiya registered a resounding 4-0 triumph over lowly Bahrain Club, who are already assured of relegation to the Bahrain First Division for 2026-27.
Khaled Hanesh Alkhalaf fired in a brace to spearhead the victors, who strengthened their hold of fourth place on the standings. Cameroonian professional Ibakeleki Hulrich and Isa Albari supplied their other goals.
Matchweek 20 continues today and tomorrow with two games each night.
In Khaldiya’s triumph against Budaiya, Tumuteka put his team in front after receiving a precision cross from the left delivered by Moroccan teammate Saif-Eddine Bouhra. Tumuteka made no mistake as he rose above the Budaiya defence to head in Bouhra’s assist from inside the six-yard box.
Bouhra then had multiple chances before the break to add to Khaldiya’s advantage, but he could not beat Budaiya custodian Abdulla Efrih Alahmed.
Khaldiya’s Portuguese custodian Ricardo Manuel da Silva also made a series of important stops on either side of the interval, while Alahmed punched away a Sayed Mahdi Sharaf effort in the 70th minute from inside the area.
Khaldiya eventually held on until the final whistle to come away with their league-best 17th victory and improve to 51 points with only two matches remaining. They handed Budaiya their 11th defeat as they stayed on 21 points as they are still in danger of having to play in the end-of-season relegation play-offs.
Meanwhile, in Malkiya’s triumph last night, Hulrich slotted home their opener in the eighth minute from inside the box off a short pass from Hasan Jaafar Madan. Albari then made it 2-0 in the 20th minute when he scored off a fine cross from the right, sent in by Mauritanian teammate Mohamed Salem Mohamed.
Just four minutes later, Alkhalaf scored his first to make it 3-0. He fired into an empty net after rounding Bahrain Club goalkeeper Sayed Mohsen Yusuf following a short pass from Mohamed.
After the re-start, Alkhalaf added Malkiya’s fourth when he drove in a 77th minute loose ball off a Mohamed shot that was saved. Yusuf stopped the attempt from long range but could not keep possession, and Alkhalaf pounced.
Malkiya secured their ninth win to rise to 33 points while Bahrain Club remained in last place with just seven points after their 17th setback.
Tonight, Muharraq go up against Al Najma at Khalifa Sports City Stadium while A’ali take on Hidd at Al Ahli Club Stadium in Mahooz. Then, tomorrow, Al Shabab play Riffa at Khalifa Sports City Stadium and Al Ahli lock horns with Sitra at the National Stadium.
All four games are scheduled for simultaneous 7pm kick-offs.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))